The British force on the Niagara frontier consisted at this time of 1800 regular troops, 500 militia, and 40 Indians, under Major General Vincent. On 27th May, the U.S. force, numbering 6000 to 7000 men, under General Dearborn, crossed under cover of the guns of the flotilla and of Fort Niagara. After a stubborn contest, in which they suffered a loss of 445 killed and wounded, the British troops evacuated Fort George, and retired to Burlington Heights at the head of Lake Ontario. Fort Erie was also evacuated. Four days later, Dearborn detached 3500 men under Generals Chandler and Winder to follow Vincent, and, on 5th June, the U.S. force encamped at Stoney Creek, seven miles from Vincent’s position. In this critical position Vincent resolved on a night attack. At 2 o’clock in the morning, 700 men of the 8th and 49th regiments, led by Colonel Harvey, penetrated the U.S. camp. Four guns were captured; the greatest confusion was caused in the surprised camp, from which the enemy were driven. In order to conceal the smallness of his force, Harvey withdrew before daylight, taking with him two guns and 123 prisoners, among whom were the two United States Generals. In this spirited affair the British loss amounted to 23 killed, 136 wounded and 55 missing. The U.S. force, after burning its tents and stores, fell back precipitately to Forty-mile Creek, 11 miles in rear of the field. Two days later, a small British squadron from Kingston, under Sir James Yeo, bringing some reinforcements for Vincent, appeared and drove the U.S. force from their camp which was taken possession of. Harvey’s gallant exploit had saved the frontier. On the 24th June, in retaliation for the affair at Stoney Creek, a U.S. force under Colonel Boerstler attempted to surprise an outpost of Canadian rangers at Beaver Dam, under Lieutenant Fitzgibbon. Through the loyalty of the wife of a Canadian farmer, Fitzgibbon received timely warning. Disposing of his little force of 200 men, mostly Indians, to the best advantage, the advancing enemy were caught in an ambush, and, after suffering some loss, Boerstler capitulated with 25 officers, 519 men, two guns and a stand of colours. Fifty-six of the U.S. force were killed and wounded, Boerstler himself being among the latter. At the moment of capitulation, a reinforcement of 200 men under Major du Haren joined Fitzgibbon, and enabled him to guard his prisoners. These successive reverses dispirited the U.S. troops in this part of the frontier to such an extent, that they suffered themselves to be blockaded in Fort George by very inferior numbers. On the 4th and 11th of July, Forts Schlosser and Black Rock were captured by separate coups de main, and the military stores destroyed or carried off. In the second affair Lieutenant Colonel Bisshopp, an officer of great promise, was unfortunately killed. On the 31st July, the United States’ squadron on Ontario paid a second visit to Toronto, which was undefended, and burned some more buildings. This unexpected move on the part of the enemy occurred just as the first troop of the 19th dispatched from Lower Canada was near Toronto, and the ammunition and baggage were captured.
Meanwhile, Major General de Rottenburg had taken over command on the Niagara frontier, from Vincent, and, on 20th July, the first troop of the 19th from Lower Canada joined the army at Four Mile Creek. Two days later we find the General reporting “two of our cavalry vedettes were taken yesterday by the enemy.” On the 17th August, Lieutenant Gladwin of the 19th was wounded in a skirmish near Fort George. About the 20th August, Sir George Prevost joined de Rottenburg, bringing with him some reinforcements, among which was the second troop of the 19th Light Dragoons, completing the squadron under Captain Lisle. On the 24th, a demonstration was made against Fort George. The advance was led by thirty of the 19th, under their Lieutenant Colonel the Hon. J. O’Neill. Beyond driving the enemy, for a short time, out of the town of Newark, and capturing 60 or 70 prisoners the demonstration was without result. The British force suffered the loss of an officer and ten men, who advanced too far, and were taken prisoners. On the 11th September an engagement took place between the two Ontario squadrons, the day after the engagement on Lake Erie, already mentioned. In this also the U.S. squadron had the best of it, but there were no decisive results. In both engagements the British squadrons were at a disadvantage through want of regular sailors: the greater part of their crews consisting of Canadians and soldiers. Early in September, Sir George Prevost returned to Kingston, leaving General de Rottenburg in command. On the 1st October, part of the U.S. force embarked at Niagara, and were conveyed to Sackett’s Harbour to join in operations against Kingston and Montreal, leaving General McClure in command at Fort George and Niagara. The following day, the 49th and 104th Regiments, under de Rottenburg, started for Kingston, which they reached on the 16th, leaving Vincent in command on the Niagara frontier. Their presence secured Kingston from attack, and helped to furnish the force that triumphed at Chrystler’s Farm. Two companies of de Watteville’s regiment, proceeding from Toronto to Kingston, were less fortunate, being captured by the U.S. squadron. On the 9th October, the news of Proctor’s defeat on the Thames reached Vincent, causing him to withdraw from the neighbourhood of Fort George, and fall back to Burlington Heights; where he was joined by the remains of Proctor’s force. The difficulty in obtaining supplies, always great, were apparently almost insurmountable at this time; for we find Vincent recommending that Major Lisle’s squadron should return to Kingston and Montreal. The discouragement in the British force was very great. Sir George Prevost, believing that Upper Canada was lost, sent orders to Vincent to collect his troops, and bring them to Kingston; but the order was not obeyed.
The U.S. troops in Fort George under McClure, at this time indulged in a series of cruel and wanton excesses against the Canadian inhabitants in the neighbourhood. In order to put some check on these excesses Vincent detached a small force of about 500 men under Colonel Murray in the direction of Fort George. With them went a troop of the 19th. As Murray advanced, McClure’s outposts fell back. On Murray making a sudden dash forwards, McClure precipitately abandoned Fort George, on 12th December, and retreated across the Niagara river, after burning the little town of Newark: an inhuman act at such an inclement season of the year, and the more inexcusable, in that he left in the Fort, without destroying them, his tents standing, a great quantity of stores, and some guns. “With the same intention, Queenston was deliberately bombarded with red-hot shot from the batteries at Lewiston. Many isolated farm houses were destroyed by marauding parties of soldiers, or, when they proved too substantial for instant demolition, were rendered uninhabitable by removal of the doors and windows. The few cattle still remaining in the possession of the country people were mercilessly slaughtered or driven away, and their grain and flour removed or destroyed.”[60] At this juncture, Lieutenant General Drummond,[61] who had been appointed to the command of Upper Canada, arrived and took command of the troops. Following up the success at Fort George, Drummond resolved on attacking Niagara. On the night of the 18th December, a force of 550 men of the 41st and 100th, under Colonel Murray, was silently ferried across the river, three miles above the Fort. Advancing silently in two columns, with unloaded muskets and bayonets fixed, the enemy’s picquets were seized before any alarm could be given: one party escaladed one of the bastions, while the other entered by the gate that had been left open for the relief of sentries. The garrison made but a feeble resistance, and, in a few minutes the British force was in complete possession of the Fort, with 27 guns, over 3000 stand of arms and 344 prisoners. The drummers of the 100th found their way to the roof of the principal building, and played “The British Grenadiers” as a signal of success to their comrades across the river. This brilliant success was gained with a loss of only six men killed and five wounded. A few hours later, a second force was ferried across, and seized Lewiston after a slight skirmish, capturing two guns and other military stores. In retaliation for the burning of Newark, Lewiston and four neighbouring villages were laid in ruins.
The U.S. force, about 2500 strong, was now commanded by General Hall, and quartered at Black Rock and Buffalo. Intent on following up his success, Drummond placed his head quarters near Fort Erie. On the night of the 29th, Major General Riall, with 600 men and about 100 Indians, crossed the Niagara river about two miles below Black Rock, drove in a U.S. picquet, and took up a position at a bridge over a small stream. At daylight on the 31st, the Royal Scots, about 800 strong, with a detachment of Major Lisle’s squadron of the 19th Light Dragoons, the whole under command of Lt. Colonel Gordon, crossed over, under fire, to land above Black Rock. Joining hands with Riall, Black Rock was attacked and occupied after a short resistance, the defending force retreating to Buffalo. The advance was continued, and Buffalo taken after a poor resistance: 130 prisoners and 8 guns were captured, and four armed vessels of the U.S. squadron on Lake Erie, burned. Black Rock and Buffalo were burned to the ground. The work was completed by Major Lisle’s squadron, which swept the frontier from Buffalo to Lewiston, bringing the operations to an end on the 2nd January 1814. The British troops were then withdrawn to the Canadian side, with the exception of a garrison left in Fort Niagara. Thus closed operations at this part of the frontier for the year.
The operations of the year on the eastern frontier have now to be recorded. Taking advantage of the frozen state of the St Lawrence, skirmishing parties of U.S. troops, from Ogdensburg, crossed the river in January and February, and committed depredations on the Canadian side. In order to put an end to these attacks, Major Macdonell, with 480 men and three field pieces, crossed the ice on the morning of the 22nd February, drove the enemy from their position, capturing 11 guns and over 70 prisoners. After burning two armed schooners and two gunboats, as well as the barracks, Macdonell returned to the Canadian shore. This brilliant little affair was accomplished with the loss of eight killed and fifty-two wounded. On the 27th May, an expedition, under Sir George Prevost, sailed from Kingston to capture Sackett’s Harbour. Owing to the incapacity and irresolution of Sir George Prevost, the affair ended in failure. After unnecessary delay, which enabled the enemy to make preparations for defence, the troops landed, on 29th, and drove the enemy from their positions. In anticipation of having to capitulate, their navy-yard and ships were set on fire by the enemy, and a great quantity of naval stores and provisions, captured at York, destroyed; when Sir George Prevost, against the advice of his officers, gave the order to retreat, at the moment that success was in his grasp. The troops re-embarked and returned to Kingston, with about 100 prisoners, having suffered a loss of 50 killed and 211 wounded. The capture of Sackett’s Harbour by the British would have had a tremendous influence on the war. It was the principal United States’ base on the lake, and its capture would have given Canada the complete supremacy of Lake Ontario as long as the war lasted, besides the possession of the great quantities of naval and military stores that had been collected there by the United States’ Government.
On the 3rd June, an attack was made by four armed vessels of the U.S. squadron on Lake Champlain, upon the post of Isle aux Noix, about 40 miles from Montreal; resulting in the capture of two U.S. sloops. On 29th July, a flotilla, composed of the two captured vessels and three gunboats, transported over land from the St Lawrence, embarked about 1000 men of the 13th and 100th regiments under Lieutenant Colonel Murray, and arrived, the next day, before Plattsburg. The U.S. militia in charge of the place, retired without making any resistance. The barracks and blockhouses were burned, and a quantity of naval stores carried off. Four thousand U.S. troops under General Hampton, destined to act against Montreal, lay inactive at Burlington, without interfering with Murray.
Nothing further of importance happened till October, when the U.S. preparations for the attack on Montreal were complete. For this purpose, a corps of 8800 men, under General Wilkinson, was assembled at Grenadier Island, at the eastern end of Ontario, fully provided with boats. At the same time a second corps of about 5700 men, under General Hampton, was assembled on Lake Champlain. The two corps were intended to join hands at St Regis, and act in combination. The first movement was made by Hampton. Advancing from Plattsburg, he reached Four Corners on the Chateaugay river, about 8th October. To oppose him, Sir G. Prevost detached a body of Canadian militia, about 1000 strong, under Lt. Colonel de Salaberry, who, after some skirmishing to ascertain the direction of Hampton’s advance, took up a position on the west bank of the Chateaugay river.
On the 21st, Hampton crossed the frontier, and advanced, cutting roads for his guns, and repairing bridges as he moved forward. During the night of the 25th, Hampton detached a brigade under Colonel Purdy to ford the Chateaugay river, march down the right bank, and take the Canadian position in rear, while he himself assailed it in front. De Salaberry’s position, a naturally strong one in a dense forest, intersected by ravines, had been further strengthened by breaking down bridges in the front, and making timber breastworks. Hampton commenced his attack at 10 o’clock on the morning of the 26th, but it was not pushed home. By keeping his men under cover, and placing buglers in the woods, de Salaberry gave the impression to the enemy of having a much greater number of men than had been supposed. Meanwhile, Purdy’s brigade, which had lost its way in the woods, came up, attracted by the firing, and overthrew a company of Canadians on the right bank. Re-inforcements coming up under Macdonell, the officer who distinguished himself at Ogdensburg in February, Purdy was driven into the woods with loss and confusion, and took no further part in the battle. So disorganised were his troops that, during the following night, they opened fire on each other, causing themselves further losses. Seeing the failure of the flank attack on which he had principally depended, and believing the Canadian force in his front to be stronger than it was, Hampton drew off and fell back, first on Four Corners, and, a few days later, to Plattsburgh; whence his force shortly afterwards went into winter quarters. This brilliant affair was fought entirely by the Canadian militia at a cost of 5 killed, 16 wounded, and four missing. A month after the action, an officer and twenty-five men of the 19th Light Dragoons were dispatched to join de Salaberry at Chateaugay.
It was not till 5th November that Wilkinson’s corps left Grenadier Island, in a flotilla of between two and three hundred open boats, protected by gunboats, and entered the St Lawrence. According to the original plan, the capture of Kingston had been intended; but this was relinquished on the arrival there of the re-inforcements sent under de Rottenburg. On arriving near Ogdensburg, the force was landed on the south bank of the river, and marched down to a point 14 miles below that place, in order to avoid the risk of passing the small Canadian post of Fort Wellington at Prescott. The boats were brought down at night with muffled oars. On the 9th, the force was again landed, this time on the left bank, in order to pass the rapid known as the Long Sault. The following day, one division, under General Brown, marched to occupy Cornwall; the other division, under General Boyd, was retained at the head of the rapid, to oppose a British force that was hanging on their rear.
Directly the start of the U.S. expedition down the St Lawrence was known in Kingston, as many men as could be safely spared, had been detached under Lieutenant Colonel Morrison of the 89th, convoyed by a few gunboats, to follow on Wilkinson’s rear. At Fort Wellington, Morrison received a further accession of force, which brought up his numbers to 800 rank and file. On the 9th, he landed, thirteen miles lower down, and, in a few hours, was in touch with Wilkinson’s force. During the following day some skirmishing took place, and then Morrison, finding that Boyd was preparing to attack him in force, took up a position at a place named “Chrystler’s Farm.” Morrison’s force was made up of some companies of the 49th, 89th, some militia, three 6 Pr. guns and thirty Indians. Boyd had 2500 men, among which was a strong force of cavalry, and ten guns. Unlike all previous actions in this war, the battle of Chrystler’s Farm was fought in open country. This conferred an advantage on the better trained and disciplined British troops, that atoned for their inferiority in numbers. The action commenced about 2 o’clock in the afternoon of the 11th, and, after three hours’ fighting, in the course of which a charge of United States’ dragoons was defeated by three companies of the 89th, Boyd fell back, repulsed at every point, with the loss of one gun, 339 killed and wounded, among the former of whom was the U.S. General Covington, and over 100 prisoners. The British loss was 21 killed, 148 wounded and 12 missing. Boyd fell back on his boats, and embarked after the action, crossing over to the right bank of the river. The following day, he descended the rapid, and joined Brown’s force near Cornwall. The cavalry, and some of the artillery, marched along the Canadian bank, without embarking. Morrison, with his small force, continued his march down the left bank. On his force being re-united, Wilkinson learned that he could expect no aid from Hampton. He at once decided on giving up the attempt on Montreal, and retreating by the only way open to him. Embarking his whole force, on the 13th, he descended the St Lawrence to the mouth of the Salmon river, and ascended that river seven miles to French Mills. Here he lay, expecting to be attacked, till 12th February, when he set fire to his boats, huts, and blockhouses, and retreated to Plattsburgh and Burlington on Lake Champlain.